Fuente Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share Toro (prerelease)

Boxes of Fuente Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share were displayed at the 2012 IPCPR and I had my first opportunity to smoke one after attending the CFCF (Cigar Family Charitable Foundation) TAA (Toast Across America) with Carlito Fuente at Federal Cigar in Plaistow, NH. You can see pictures of the Dan Marino Football and Sammy Sosa bat here.

To celebrate their 100 years of business, Fuente released the Forbidden X “13” in December of 2011 and they were to continue releasing rare/limited cigars throughout 2012 but due to various unfortunate circumstances including the fire of 2011, celebrations were postponed until 2013.

Speaking with Carlito Fuente at the CFCF TAA 2012 Event at Federal Cigar in Plaistow, he said the fire had dramatic impacts on what could be produced for the celebrations:

“We had tobacco aging since the late 40’s and 50’s, saving it for something special. Not many cigar manufacturers have the capability to do that. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be as the fire consumed much of the precious tobacco. It did make me sad and depressed, but out of that, came the Angel’s Share cigar.”

The term Angel’s Share is used during the wine making process. Wine makers often use oak barrels to store their wine during the aging process. When the wine ages for long periods of time, some of it will evaporate from the barrel. The evaporating wine is called the Angel’s Share, alluding to the belief that the guardian angels that watch over the wine, sample it and gave their blessings.

(Editors Note: From this it is implied that the Angels enjoyed the enticing aroma from the tobacco that was burning in the barns but in turn, gave their blessings to the Fuente Company for future successful endeavors)

At this point, I haven’t been able to independently verify which sizes will be available for purchase. However, the churchill and toro will be in the Opus X 22 edition this year along with many other new Opus X sizes. Also, as part of the 100th Anniversary Humidors by Prometheus, there will be ten Angel’s Share Toros included. At the CFCF TAA event at Federal Cigar, the Angel’s Share toro, lancero and churchill were available as part of the auction. They all subsequently were auctioned off in packs of 10-20 with prices averaging $25 and up per cigar.

Churchill (7 x 47, est)

Lancero (7 1/2 x 38, est)

Box Pressed Robusto (5 1/4 x 50)

Box Pressed Toro (6 1/4 x 48)

Corona Gorda (5 5/8 x 46, est)

The Fuente Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share uses a wrapper from the middle primings of the tobacco plant as opposed to the top primings from which Opus X are typically made. According to Carlito Fuente, classic sizes and cigars focused on this part of the plant as that’s where most of the heart and flavor is.

Fuente Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share Toro

Wrapper: Dominican Sun Grown

Binder/Filler: Dominican

Size: 6 1/4 x 48

Vitola: Box Press Toro

MSRP: $NA

Time In Humidor: 7 Days

Cigars Smoked for Review: 1

Smoke Time: 1hr 55min

Drink: Water

Location: Tasty Tobacco Shop

Construction/Appearance:

The cigar has a golden graham like wrapper with a subtle toothiness to match. I noticed some minor color variations (hence the golden graham) but found this to be very appealing. The veins are barely noticeable though there are some glue marks on the underside. After a while, you tend to not pay attention to that as they exist on many of Fuente’s premium lines. The Angel’s Share has just the right amount of give when squeezed, doesn’t feel heavy and the cap on the head seems average in construction but smooth.

The cigar is double banded, the frontside has the traditional FFOX logo, the left side says, “Destino Al Siglo” while the right side says, “Fuente Fuente Opus X”. The second band says, “Angel’s Share” in a lightly colored font with a dove representing the apostrophe. There is also a traditional key going through the second band. The overall color scheme is lighter and not nearly as bold as on a usual Opus X band. However, it compliments the cigar considering the wrapper shade.

Burn/Draw:

The cut across the head was very clean and nearly effortless. While the cut went through tobacco, it didn’t put up much in terms of resistance. Even though I barely took any off of the head, the cold draw felt open to just the right amount. The burn required a slight touch up in the beginning as is typical with my experience with most box pressed cigars and does develop waviness, but the overall performance was very good. The subsequent draws were full requiring the ideal amount of effort while the smoke had a chewy texture. I thought the ash seemed fragile but it lasted over a inch and didn’t break apart upon impact. The Fuente Fuente Opus X Angel’s Share toro is performing above my expectations in this category.

Flavor/Aroma:

The wrapper has wide array of richness to it, mixing cedar, nutmeg and cinnamon. The foot has chocolate cocoa but the overall prelight aroma is balanced and lively. The initial draw reminded me of brown sugar and the sweetness to a cinnamon roll with a nutty finish. The first has an almond and raisin flavor with a creamy finish. The pepper is subtle and just the right amount. This cigar starts off wonderfully with a medium to high amount of complexity and medium strength.

The second third continues with some almond and wood notes and this point, I pick up the traditional leathery notes found in Opus X, yet it’s not as bold. It feels more elegant in it’s approach not overwhelming my senses. White pepper along with cedar is on the long finish. The aroma on this cigar is very unique; I notice a wonderful mix of pepper, nutmeg, brown sugar with a perfect amount of creaminess. As I enter the third, I still get a sweetness varying in flavor reminding me of brown sugar. Notes of cedar and white pepper is still prevalent with a leathery and butter like finish. In the last inch or so, cocoa and cedar are dominant with the right dose of pepper. This cigar finishes as a solid medium in strength with a high degree of complexity.

Final Thoughts:

I was very impressed with the prelight construction and the appearance of the cigar. While the burn and draw did not let me down, the ash did not flower as my experience has been with other young Opus X.

Does the Angel’s Share flavor profile smoke differently in terms of flavors as compared to the Opus X? While it does exhibit the trademark leathery note, I felt this cigar has a bit more of elegant shown. None of the flavors outright demand attention, but rather take their time to display their capabilities. For being as young as it was, this cigar smoked well and was balanced.

I saw similarities in this cigar similar to the Forbidden X “13” that was released earlier this year as well as similarities with a typical Opus X. However, this cigar reminded me more of the Forbidden X “13” than anything else released by Fuente recently.

Depending on the price point, I think you could be getting alot of value that one can experience. You wouldn’t be paying for the extra labor for making a unique shape like a BBMF but the quality of flavors could be well worth the higher price tag. These cigars will age very well and could gain as much as 3 more points over the next few years.

If you’re interested in purchasing the Opus X Angel’s Share toro, your best bet would be buying an Opus X 22 CFCF set getting released this year with an MSRP of $950 or 100th Anniversary Humidor with an MSRP of $3500.00.

Rating: 92

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